בית ישראל
בית כנסת מסורתי ומרכז קהילתי
Bet Israel Masorti Congregation & Community Center
Yoni Ariel: president
19 Yehuda Hanassi St., Netanya, Israel
Tel: 972-(0)9-8624345
Fax: 972-(0)9-8825120
Mazal Tov to Ofek and Yardan
About Bet Israel
Masorti Synagogue & Community Center
The Bet Israel synagogue was established in 1977 in Independence Square in the heart of Netanya. In 1992 Congregation Bet Israel moved to a big, beautiful new building at 19 Yehuda Hanassi St, and inaugurated the new sanctuary of the only Conservative synagogue in Netanya.
We conduct regular, traditional prayers in an open, modern and welcoming atmosphere – every one is invited to pray together. We are an egalitarian congregation, and we believe that there are many valid ways to be Jewish, and that there is no halachic reason to keep women from being active in the synagogue.
Bet Israel is also a cultural center, with cultural and leisure activities for all ages throughout the year: lectures, workshops, classes, movies, travel, games, folk dancing, Jewish studies and language classes for children and adults. Of course we also have a yearly Purim party (in costume!) and a Succot party (in the Succah on the roof).
Our synagogue is open to every family that wishes to celebrate a bar/bat mitzva in a personal, touching ceremony where your child is the focus, or other ceremonies from the Jewish life-cycle, in a warm and welcoming environment. We also host a yearly bar/bat mitzva for children with special needs.
Our retired rabbi Ervin Birnbaum has been active in reaching out to immigrants in Netanya from the former Soviet Union. He helped many link to their Jewish roots, performing conversions and bar-mitzva ceremonies. He and we (?) still cooperate with their cultural activities in "Shaarim" which organizes weekly concerts and periodic trips around Israel for new and veteran immigrants.
OUR GOAL
We hope to provide a congregation where everyone in Netanya can come to celebrate a bar-mitzva, or participate in a Kabbalat Shabat or a holiday service. A place where you are an active and meaningful part of developing egalitarian and pluralistic Judaism. A place where everyone is welcome and feels at home.
"I believe that everyone is connected, consciously or unconsciously, to his roots, to his identity and his family history. Life sometimes keeps us very busy, and we often set aside our need and desire to feel meaningful spiritual experiences with our families and dear ones. We return to those places at meaningful events in our lives like marriage, bar mitzva, or just a spontaneous meal in a succah with friends. This is where Congregation Bet Israel offers its services. My inspiration comes from you, the men, women and families of Bet Israel. From your needs and desires. We encourage every individual and family to come together with affection and celebrate with us again and again. We are a Conservative synagogue, egalitarian and family-oriented. We sit together, celebrate together, and everyone, men and women, can participate in and lead services. Even without observing every single commandment"
Community Coordinator